FI CH34: A Jedi Counterattack!

At the same time, the WeChat group also exploded.

[Zhu]: What the hell? “Ting Yu” ???
[Chen Keqing]: Am I being sensitive, or is this a coincidence?
[Zhu]: Xiao Sheng’s expression doesn’t look right. Holy crap.
[Ke Xinxin]: If it’s really… then this is not good. Being scheduled to go on stage after him is completely disadvantageous for Xiao Sheng, and it’s a live broadcast. [headache]

Amidst the discussion, the song, which was a few minutes long, finished. Lin Su listened to it while reading the group messages. He could confirm that Bai Xuanrui’s arrangement had been modified, incorporating many currently popular traditional Chinese-style elements, making it lingering and melancholic.

Although the musical style was different, it was easy to imagine the bloody storm Sheng Lingyu would face when the almost identical main melody came out later.

“Let’s welcome the next contestant, Sheng Lingyu.”

Amidst everyone’s worries, Sheng Lingyu went on stage. The camera swept over, landing on his clear and bright face. Sheng Lingyu looked directly at the camera, his face seemingly having regained its composure. After two seconds, he let out a soft breath and suddenly turned to the side of the stage.

“Teacher, no need to play the backing track. I’ll play and sing this one myself.”

He then smiled at the camera, his eyes sharp and bright. “I’ll be bringing you an original song of mine, ‘Po Ji’ (Breaking Thorns).”

His fingertips plucked the strings, producing a series of vibrating, ear-catching melodies.

In the group, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, they confirmed that it was indeed a case of plagiarism.

[Zhu]: Xiao Sheng changed his song. It really was plagiarized. Ahhhhhh!! [gritting teeth]
[Chen Keqing]: Good thing he has many original songs and could adapt on the spot.
[Ke Xinxin]: The production team is obviously problematic. The submitted songs were identical, but they didn’t say anything and even scheduled them to perform one after the other. They’re most likely unscrupulously trying to create buzz through a broadcast accident.
[Ke Xinxin]: Xiao Sheng is still quick-witted. Luckily, he didn’t let them leech off him. [spitting emoji]

A series of spitting alpaca emojis quickly followed.

Xuenima also chimed in: [Tui!]

A hand dragged it back.

On the screen, although it was a last-minute song change, Sheng Lingyu’s performance was still stable, his mental fortitude extremely strong.

The live comments flew by:
— An acoustic performance! So brave!
— It really shows off his singing skills. I have to say, his stage presence is solid. [thumbs up]
— Why do I feel like Xiao Sheng’s state before going on stage was a bit off… but his singing is still great. [scattering flowers]
— Such a catchy song! Release the audio source quickly!!!
…

The song ended, and Sheng Lingyu took a bow and left the stage. He was quickly tagged in the WeChat group.

“Hugs, hugs…!! Is Xiao Sheng okay?”
“What’s with the song? How could that Bai Gan plagiarize you!?”

[Singing]: [puppy with teary eyes]

Everyone: !!!!!!!!!!

Amidst a flood of hugs and comfort, a message suddenly popped up in the group chat.

[Su]: Where are you? @Singing

Everyone: …?

[Singing]: …? [Address] 0.0?

Lin Su turned off his phone and stood up.

“Let’s go. My client is coming.”

Xuenima, who was using its paws to like the comments cursing Bai Xuanrui, belatedly perked up its ears.

[…What unlucky fellow is coming?]

“…” Lin Su snatched it up with one hand. “You could put it that way.”

He placed Xuenima on his head, changed into his outer coat, put on his tassel earring, and went straight out the door.

Xuenima clung to the top of his head: [Are you angry?]

The bright gaze from before they parted flashed before his eyes. Lin Su’s calm voice came through. “Yes.”

— Very.

Sheng Lingyu lived in the city where he was recording the show. When Lin Su arrived at his place, it was his manager who opened the door.

The rented apartment wasn’t large, but it was fully equipped with all sorts of musical instruments, crammed together with the bed and desk. Manuscripts were piled high on the desk.

Sheng Lingyu was sitting at the desk with his head down. He looked up and saw Lin Su’s attire, stunned. “Ah. Little Senior, you…”

Lin Su walked in. “You recognized me long ago, it’s fine.”

“Because you’re wearing the mask I made.”

His work being recognized, a bit of happiness grew out of Sheng Lingyu’s gloom. Xuenima couldn’t resist floating over and lovingly patting his puppy-like head.

The manager was completely lost and didn’t have time to care. “Why is Mr. Lin here?”

Lin Su scanned the room. As expected. “Someone has tampered with your fate.”

The two in front of him looked up in unison. “Huh?”

“It’s not just that your song was plagiarized; your luck was also stolen. It looked normal last time I checked. The change happened recently—”

The eight characters of his birth chart instantly arranged themselves above his head. Lin Su got straight to the point. “The month’s heavenly stem is Ding fire, the hour’s heavenly stem is Gui water, and it sits on You metal. Water is the unfavorable god, running rampant and blocking your career luck.”

After he finished, Sheng Lingyu’s mouth fell open. “Wow… that rhymes.”

Then he came to his senses. “…Eh? I rhymed too.”

The manager gave him a thwack on the head. The Xuenima on his head was hit and let out a “ji!” sound. He turned to ask anxiously, “Mr. Lin, is there any solution?”

Lin Su glanced at the flattened Xuenima. “…”

He said lightly, “A small matter.” Then he looked at Sheng Lingyu. “First, tell me what happened with the song.”

…

This time, Sheng Lingyu’s song was stolen completely without warning. He had a habit of writing his songs on paper and would only record them into a digital file when publishing or submitting them. Everyone around him knew this.

“At that time, after I finished writing the song, the company said they were going to make an album for me. My previous assistant, Xiao Tao, recorded the song and submitted it to the company. But later, the company said they didn’t have enough funds and wouldn’t do it for now, so they returned it to me.”

The manager asked, “You haven’t shown it to anyone else besides them?”

Sheng Lingyu: “No. Because this competition said we had to sing unpublished original songs.”

“Damn! Bai Xuanrui is taking advantage of this to plagiarize you.”

The manager cursed a few times, then said, “Then it was either leaked from the company, or it was Xiao Tao…”

He started making a call. “I’ll ask Xiao Tao first.”

The call went through, rang twice, and was hung up.

The manager: “?”

Xuenima was amazed: [Case solved?]

Lin Su: “…”

The manager tried again. This time, the call was answered. He got straight to the point. “Xiao Tao, Lingyu’s song was plagiarized. It’s the one you submitted to the company for him before, ‘Ting Yu’. You—”

Before he could finish, a young, impatient voice came from the other end, slightly agitated. “What do you mean, Brother Xi? What does it have to do with me?”

“I’m not saying it has anything to do with you, I’m just asking.”

“I resigned a long time ago. I don’t know.”

With that, he hung up the phone with a thud.

The small room fell silent. The three of them looked at each other. After a moment, Lin Su broke the silence softly. “Silence speaks louder than words here.”

The two in front of him: “…”

The attitude seemed to say it all.

Lin Su sighed in his mind: This is a businessman who refuses to leave empty-handed. Not only does he sell songs, he also sells out his friends.

Xuenima praised him: [Your praise is truly gut-wrenching.]

Lin Su accepted this dubious compliment.

The manager, Brother Xi, was furious, like an ant on a hot pan. He paced around the small empty space. “Let’s think about how to nail him for plagiarism first. Should we also buy a few hot searches?”

Two strands of his hair fell out. “…Sigh, but we don’t have the money.”

In the midst of the anxiety, a faint voice came from the side. “No rush.”

Turning his head, he saw Lin Su smiling at Sheng Lingyu. “Your song is so good, they won’t let go of this wave of traffic.”

“Watch me help you achieve hot-search freedom, getting something for nothing.”

Sheng Lingyu’s eyes lit up bit by bit.

Xuenima chirped: [Just like with Xiao He’s company.]

“…”

With that said, it was promptly shut away.

The next day, in the company’s lounge, Bai Xuanrui had his legs propped up on the coffee table, leaning back on the sofa and playing a game.

His manager walked in, accustomed to the sight. “Xiao Tao called yesterday. Sheng Lingyu’s side found out the song was plagiarized and went to him. He ignored them.”

Bai Xuanrui didn’t even look up. “So what if he ignored them. Anyway, he sent it to us before submitting it to the company. If they want to trace the original version, we’re still ahead.”

He then clicked his tongue. “It’s a pity the competition made him change his song at the last minute. Otherwise, I would have called him out for plagiarism on the spot. It’s really not satisfying enough!”

Just as the manager was about to say something, his phone rang. He gestured for Bai Xuanrui to be quiet and answered the call. After listening for about ten seconds, his face lit up. “Really? You said Director Cen? You mean Director Cen Mu, right!… Yes, yes, okay, I’ll tell Xuanrui right away.”

After hanging up, the manager said in pleasant surprise, “Director Cen has taken a liking to ‘Ting Yu’. He’s preparing a new movie recently and wants to buy it as the theme song!”

Bai Xuanrui sat up straight. “Really!?”

Cen Mu, that was an internationally renowned director. Every one of his movies aimed for international awards, and he almost always won, with at least a nomination.

The manager nodded excitedly. Just then, his phone pinged again. He opened it and looked. “Damn…! The endorsement deal we’ve been in talks for has also moved forward. They want you to go for a screen test next week.”

Bai Xuanrui was momentarily dazed by the good fortune. After a few seconds, he said happily, “Good, good, my luck is finally turning around. That master was really not bad.”

He instructed, “Hurry up and buy a few hot searches. Let’s hype up this song’s popularity again.”

Sheng Lingyu’s side wouldn’t dare to say anything anyway. If he was really confident, why would he change his song on the spot?

…

That morning, the hot search was high on the list. Under the topic #BaiXuanruiListenToTheRain#, fans and paid posters gathered, showering it with praise.
— The most amazing original song on the show!
— Such an incredible melody, it’s a completely different level of competition. [reaching the top]
— This is the level of a mentor!
— Ahhh, please give us more original works, Brother Rui! I’ve already looped Listen to the Rain fifty times!
…

Clicking on the video, the intro alone was full of spiritual energy. Although there were many mixed elements in the middle, in the eyes of the public, the flaws did not overshadow the virtues. For a time, it really attracted a large wave of netizens.

Just as the topic was at its hottest, a Weibo post with the topic suddenly landed on the plaza.

@SingingJade v: #BaiXuanruiListenToTheRain# The song is very good, but when did my “Ting Yu” become “Ting Yu”? [Image] [Image]

Attached were a few pages of revised manuscripts.

It was the peak of the fervor, and one Weibo post instantly blew up the plaza! Everyone’s attention was drawn over.
— What’s going on? Is it plagiarism???
— Who wrote it? [confused]
— Damn! This manuscript looks very complete, and it doesn’t look newly written either.
— Oh my god, getting my melon seeds ready!!!

Sheng Lingyu’s fans also exploded: Oh my god! It’s our Xiao Sheng!!

Soon, someone remembered Sheng Lingyu’s strange reaction during the live broadcast that day. The video of the live broadcast was immediately scrutinized.
— When he heard the song title, Xiao Sheng was stunned for a moment.
— Ahhh, when the intro started, did Xiao Sheng’s hand tremble? [heartbreak]
— No wonder he didn’t want the backing track. He must have changed his song on the spot.
— “Po Ji”. Mm, “Po Ji”. He was using his own song to speak out… [sigh]
— I went to his Weibo and took a look. Sheng Lingyu’s homepage has a lot of original songs. Bai Xuanrui’s is all selfies and drama promotions. Can he even write songs? [doubt]
— @BaiXuanrui—Rui v Whose song is it? Explain.

However, besides Sheng Lingyu’s fans and the onlookers, Bai Xuanrui’s fans quickly fought back.
— A few scraps of paper as evidence?? Who knows when you wrote them?
— The wannabe is here to leech off our Brother Rui’s popularity again. Will you die if you don’t? [eye roll]
— Brother Rui has even released an album. What’s so hard about writing a song?
— A certain someone doesn’t even have an album. Who knows where those songs on his homepage were ripped from? As soon as this song got popular, he immediately came to suck blood.

In the midst of the bloody battle, Sheng Lingyu’s main account suddenly entered the fray, replying to a fan of Bai Xuanrui: “I’ve submitted this song to the company before.”

With his reply, netizens immediately went to the company.
— @ChongXingEntertainmentV Hurry up and post the submission time! Let us see who’s really copying!
— They’re from the same company. Don’t play favorites. [urging]
— @BaiXuanruiStudioV Hurry up and post Brother Rui’s creation time too, to clear Brother Rui’s name!
— @BaiXuanruiStudioV Are you dead! Hurry up and clarify!
…

In front of the screen, Lin Su, operating Sheng Lingyu’s Weibo account, praised, “My hands are so itchy. I really want to like that comment saying the studio is dead.”

Manager Xi, terrified, carefully but boldly snatched the phone away. “Mr. Lin, you can’t, you can’t…”

Lin Su was nostalgic. “If only Xiao He’s account were in my hands.”

Sheng Lingyu, like a panicked puppy, said, “Little Senior, you can’t, you can’t…!”

Fortunately, before Lin Su could stir up any trouble, another wave came crashing down. Perhaps feeling secure and fearless, Bai Xuanrui’s side, almost without thinking, smugly posted a clarification on Weibo.

@BaiXuanrui—Rui v: You asked for the hammer, you got the hammer. The innocent will prove themselves! [Image] [Image]

Above were the save time for Bai Xuanrui’s “Ting Yu” and the time Sheng Lingyu’s “Ting Yu” was submitted to the company. The former was in the morning, while the latter was in the afternoon of the same day. Although it was only a half-day difference, it was enough for a clarification.

The tide of public opinion on Weibo immediately shifted, and Bai Xuanrui’s fans became even more rampant.
— Come, come, the time is smeared all over your faces!
— Brother Rui was a full half-day earlier. As soon as he finished writing it, it was taken by someone and submitted.
— You thought just because you submitted it to the company first, it’s yours? [watching the show]
— But Sheng doesn’t look like someone who would plagiarize. Waiting for a follow-up…
— What do you mean? Does Brother Rui look like he would? The evidence is right in front of you. Use your brain and mouth before you come out to play!
…

Lin Su, observing the carnival on the plaza, said, “Finally, they’ve hammered down the time themselves.” This way, the other side had no more room to forge anything.

It was just noon, and the takeout they ordered had arrived. Lin Su snapped open his chopsticks with a crack. “Let’s eat first. Let the bullets fly for a while.”

During mealtime, he had Sheng Lingyu place the order on the webpage. Ding! A sound was heard, and it showed:

【Client: Sheng Lingyu】
【Identity: Artist, 24 years old, Affiliated Company: Chong Xing Entertainment】
【Status: Order Accepted】

Lin Su accepted the order and turned off his phone.

Sheng Lingyu said in a small voice, “Little Senior, wait for me to sell a few more songs to pay your commission fee.”

Lin Su took a sip of winter melon soup. “No need.”

He met Sheng Lingyu’s clear eyes. “The lantern you made is very beautiful. Just give me one later.”

The other’s ears seemed to perk up. “Okay!”

…

After the meal, the plaza became even more heated. Lin Su glanced at it. Perhaps because their side hadn’t responded yet, Bai Xuanrui’s fans became even more rampant.
— Why aren’t you talking? Come out and explain. @SingingJade v
— A plagiarist who then calls out others. What kind of person is this!
— The thief crying “thief”! Plagiarism dogs can die!
— Plagiarists’ whole family can die!
…

Xuenima was itching to make a move: [Can I pretend that Brother Xi’s hand slipped and liked a comment while Xiao Sheng’s eyes weren’t sharp?]

Lin Su quietly pulled it back.

Then, a bamboo brush fell into his hand. He turned his head and asked, “Everything’s ready, right?”

Sheng Lingyu, his eyes full of joy, nodded. “Yes. It’s all thanks to Little Senior for reminding me to be careful of the people around me back then.”

Because the song had to be submitted and couldn’t be hidden, he had secretly recorded the entire creative process at the time—including a full-length performance video.

Lin Su looked at the heat that had finally rushed to the top spot. “Now’s the time. Post it.”

Sheng Lingyu lowered his head to edit the Weibo post and asked, “Is this enough? Will the other side still do something?”

As his words fell, a light swoosh was heard by his ear. The brush fell. The Book of Fate closed.

A faint golden light, not yet dissipated, remained in the depths of Lin Su’s clear eyes, like a ray of heavenly light breaking through the dark clouds. “They won’t. His luck was stolen from you in the first place.”

“And from now on, everything that was stolen from you will be returned to you, doubled.”

Sheng Lingyu looked up, seemingly stunned. The sunlight slanted in from the side, falling on his profile, spreading bit by bit past the window, becoming brighter and brighter, like a new star slowly rising.

After a pause, he lowered his head and posted the Weibo.

Amidst a chorus of condemnation and doubt, Sheng Lingyu, with the original video dated 10 days before the other’s “creation” time, directly tagged Bai Xuanrui:

@SingingJade v: Either admit you plagiarized, or admit you faked it by buying a song for the competition. Pick one. @BaiXuanrui—Rui v [Video]

The moment the Weibo was posted, the [Hot] tag after the topic directly became [Explosive].

Author’s Note:
Ye Yuzhu: See, I told you he was about to blow up!
Lin Su: (waving magic brush) Boom! Got a free firework to make Xiao Sheng happy. Ah, and Xiao He who hasn’t appeared yet~
He Zhenling: so? will love be transferred?

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